Do you find yourself eating when you don’t feel hungry? Well you’re not the only one. 7 out of 10 people in Ireland are now either overweight or obese and overeating is one of the main causes for our growing obesity epidemic.
Here are some reasons why you may be overeating:
1. Habit: If you find yourself snacking too often between meals or in the evening time, this is habit, you are not hungry.
How to tackle: Stop buying processed or unhealthy food for your house. Make sure to eat 3-4 balanced meals per day and to drink 2L of water.
2. Bored: Boredom is a very common reason people eat. Sometimes you just eat too kill time. Boredom can lead you to watching TV and watching TV can lead you to grabbing that packet of crisps or chocolate bar that’s in the press.
How to tackle: Again like in our habit solution, make sure unhealthy food isn’t in your house. If you feel you are about to head to the fridge out of boredom, get up and go for a walk, read a book, drink a glass of cold water or clean your teeth to take taste out of your mouth.
3. Comfort eating and stressed: You’ve arrived home after a hard day in work, who hasn’t reached for that chocolate bar? When we feel stressed we tend to comfort eat to make us feel better. This is a common mistake because people want a quick fix to feel good when they’re feeling down.
How to tackle: When you feel stressed, go out and exercise. This will not only take your mind off the food but will also release the same feel good hormones (serotonin and dopamine) that comfort eating does.
4. Friends and family: When we’re out with friends and family most people tend to overindulge.
We all go out and see something on the desert menu that catches our attention, not to mention that glass or two of wine.
How to tackle: When eating out still try to make healthy choices. If it’s a special occasion or cheat meal, treat yourself but don’t over indulge.
5. Eating too quickly: Most people tend to eat too quickly. If you are somebody that clears the plate fast then you are at risk of overeating. This is because your brain can’t react to the signal coming from your body to tell you you’re full. This is what leads you to reach for seconds.
How to tackle: Try to chew each bite 20 times before swallowing. Make sure it takes you 15-20 minutes to finish your meal.